Category Archives: Food

Stove Popped Popcorn

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, How To, Recipes, WIAW by

I bought popcorn kernels a few weeks ago after I heard that stove popped popcorn is healthier than microwave popcorn [it doesn’t have added butter, etc].

The kernels were sittin’ up in the pantry for a while, so I almost forgot about them until I walked out of my room one day and Tuna had made some! He looked up how to make it on a blog.

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup popcorn kernels
  • 3 tbsp canola oil or vegetable oil
  • salt to taste

You’ll need: a large pot with a lid.

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popcorn2Directions:

Pour the kernels into the pot and add oil (don’t add the lid yet).

Turn the burner to medium-high.

Heat up for about 4 minutes. While it’s heating, shake the pot back and forth on the burner to distribute the heat evenly.

When the first kernel pops, put on the lid. Keep gently shaking the pot for another 3/4 minutes until the popping slows and stops.

Add some creative seasoning [suggestions, please!] and enjoy!

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popcorn6Thanks as always to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday!

The Secrets of Weekly Food Prep

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, WIAW by

Before I started eating clean, I didn’t really spend too much time in the kitchen.

Now that I’ve learned a few of the basics of cooking, I realized that there is no reason to be intimidated by preparing food! Much of the preparation of healthy food doesn’t even involve any scary kitchen items [except a knife] since it’s all about fruits and veggies.

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When it comes to sticking to your eating plan, I think that the most important thing by far is to be prepared.

Be prepared, like a boy scout.

All hail my beloved personal sized cooler, originally purchased as storage for champagne at the annual field party in college.

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If I’m outside of my apartment, you can probably find me with my black cooler at my side. I bring it to work, to Tuna’s, when I’m out doing errands – you name it.

If I’m hungry, I need to get food fast. And I’d prefer not to make an emergency fast food drive-thru run.

With healthy snacks or meals already in my cooler (and a Clif bar always in my purse), I never have to worry about finding myself stranded without food.

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Unfortunately, it takes time to be prepared. Lots of time.

You have to plan, grocery shop, and prep your food.

Originally, I used to make my breakfast, lunch, and snacks to bring to work every night before bed. I spent each evening dreading the annoying chore.

One day, I had the brilliant idea – why not prep two days worth of meals?! It took pretty much the same amount of time, but I had one less night of prep work.

Finally, I realized I could prep all of my food for the week on Sundays. Duh. Genius, huh?

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I have so many Tupperware containers now. It is absurd.

Thanks to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday!

Do you have any food prep tips?

How do you get your meals ready for the week?

Sweet n’ Spicy Snack Mix

Posted in Food, Recipes, WIAW by

Let’s be honest, the reason I made this recipe is because I had all of the ingredients (except the Rice Chex) in the pantry. So you might, too!

This sweet n’ spicy snack mix is a perf semi-healthy snack to munch on. And since it’s homemade, it could pass as a fancy nut mix to set out before a dinner party, but is also chill enough to eat with the bf while watching a hockey game.

I’m lovin’ the the flavorful crunch and  the fact that it’s a little healthier than store-bought chex mix.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.

sweetnspicy5Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 1 1/2 tbsp butter
  • 3 cups tiny unsalted pretzels
  • 1 cup Rice Chex
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine pecans and cashews on a jelly-roll pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir in baked nuts with the butter in a medium bowl. Add syrup, pretzels, and cereal and stir.

In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, 1 teaspoon thyme, cinnamon, red pepper, and salt.

Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over nuts/pretzels. Toss gently to coat well.

Spread in a single layer on jelly-roll pan.

Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme. Cool completely before serving.

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sweetnspicy2Thanks as always to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I ate Wednesday!

A Visit from Vicki

Posted in Food, Restaurants, Run, Yoga by

I’m finally getting around to recapping last weekend and it’s already almost time for another! Whoops. (But TGIAF [thank gawd it’s almost Friday]).

This past weekend was full of fun activities thanks to a visit from my friend Vicki who came up from Charlottesville!

Since it was raining on Saturday morning, we decided do some yoga before our long run. I am so lucky that I actually still have friends when I constantly make them take awkward photos of me.

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I was excited to run with Vic because she is a super runner (she’s done two Tough Mudders and two marathons – cray) and I knew she would push the pace a little bit.

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Success! The run flew by since we were chattin’ away.

The rest of the weekend consisted of multiple restaurant trips where we spent too much moolah and shoveled our faces with delish eats.

On Sunday afternoon we went to Chinatown before Vicki had to catch her train back home.

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We went to Matchbox, which we both love. Matchbox has pretty big portions and not-too-painful prices.

Vicki was craving a burger all weekend and was determined to get it.

I got an awesome Bloody Mary. I actually tried a Bloody Mary for the first time with Vicki a few years ago at a brunch in Georgetown.

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Vicki got her burger! Aren’t these the coolest onion rings you’ve ever seen? I stole one and devoured it.

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New food alert: the onion rings were sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and I liked it! Tuna will be thrilled (I always veto Parmesan on anything).

I ordered the chopped salad. When I ordered, I made sure to ask our server if it came with lettuce. It didn’t specify, so I was confused. I didn’t know if it’s base was made of the diced tomato.

His response: “Obviously.”

Oh.

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Mmmm. I’m going to have to try to re-create this one at home.

What did you do last weekend? Any plans for this weekend?

Are you a difficult order-er at restaurants? I always am. Sometimes it gets me into trouble with the people I’m with! 🙂 

Maple Pecan Granola

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, Recipes, WIAW by

granola5You know I love to complain about how expensive granola is.

Ever since I started eating clean, I have been a granola fiend. Granola makes me super happy – but my wallet? Not so much.

My fam has been telling me for months that I should make my own, but since granola-making seemed like a foreign art to me, I stuck with buying a bag a week from Whole Paycheck Foods for seven bucks a pop.

But I finally gave in last week and forced my brother to send me the recipe for homemade granola that he and his gf use.

I changed it around a teensy bit and love the results! It tastes just as good as the store-bought stuff, but at half the price.

Yay for cost efficient granola!

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twotraysgranola1Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup milled flaxseed
1/4 cup prunes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300F.

Stir together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Add canola oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

Mix everything up with your hands.

Spread the mixture in a thin, even layer on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and pour back into the mixing bowl. Stir in pecans and flaxseed, then put back in oven for 15 minutes.

Take the baking sheets out of the oven and stir in prunes.

granola3Thanks as always to the newly preggers Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday!

No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, Recipes, WIAW by

Though I was totally down for some “dirty eating” on girl’s night last Friday [insert Ben and Jerry’s pint here], my BFF Nancy steered me back in the right direction. 🙂 I’m glad she did, because these no-bake cookie dough balls were just as tasty as any ‘real’ junk food.

Thanks for inspiring this clean eating recipe, Nance! (And for making most of it….)

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nobakecookiedoughballsThis recipe was adapted from Averie Cooks.

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 C cashews
  • 1/3 C oats
  • 2 tbsp agave nectar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 C dark chocolate chips

Yields approximately 14 cookie dough balls

Directions:

Pour cashews and oats in to blender and blend into a flour-like consistency.

Add the agave nectar and vanilla extract.

Blend again.

Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

Transfer dough into a medium bowl and roll into balls.

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I’m totes bringing a second batch of these babies to book club! Get excited, ladies.

Thanks as always to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday!

Recipe Roundup

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, Recipes, WIAW by

I had something fun in the works for you today for What I Ate Wednesday, but it didn’t end up happening.

Since I don’t have a cool new recipe to post, I figured I’d go old school and roundup my past recipes for you!

I promise to eventually add these to a page at the top of the blog for easy access.

Maybe it will give you something new to make this week. 😉

Breakfast

Breakfast Burrito
Overnight Oats

Entrees

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Cheat Day Chili
Crabby Summer Salad
End of Summer Pasta Salad
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken
Quinoa Sliders

quinoaburgers2 Shrimp Paella
Spinach Burgers

Sides

Cajun Sweet Potato Fries

sweetpotatofries1Cinnamon Baked Apples

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Old Bay Zucchini Chips

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Quinoa Pizza Bites
Red Potatoes

Snacks/Dessert

Blueberry Bread

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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Scones
Chocolate Covered Apple Wedges
Dark Chocolate Turtles
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites

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Pumpkin Protein Bars

Smoothies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Homemade Green Machine

Blueberry Bread

Posted in Clean Eating, Food, Recipes, WIAW by

Lately (ok, ever since the Holidays) I have been eating a shit ton of store bought treats for snacks at work. Power bar after power bar and cookies galore.

It’s a lot easier to just buy already made and packaged snacks at the grocery store to take on the go.

This needs to stop asap. 

Remember when I used to bring homemade pumpkin protein bars and vegan scones everywhere?

I need to get back into that habit.

    •  It’s healthier – you know exactly what is in your food – all natural, nothing processed.
    •  It’s cheaper – each baking episode yields way more food than buying individual bars at the store.

The problem is that I’m tired of the old recipes I used to make.

Cue new delicious and nutritious blueberry bread! I’m definitely taking this as my afternoon snack this week.

blueberrybread3Recipe adapted from The Lemon Bowl. 

Ingredients: 

    • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
    • 1/2 cup wheat germ
    • 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 cup blueberries – fresh or frozen
    • 1/3 cup splenda or sugar substitute
    • 3 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 2/3 cups low fat vanilla yogurt
    • 3 eggs (use 2 eggs, 1 egg white)
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350°F and grease a bread pan with cooking spray.

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl: oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, sugar, and wheat germ.

Beat together eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract on medium speed with a mixer. Gently stir in the dry ingredients.

Fold blueberries into the batter and pour into the bread pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Let the bread cool completely before serving.

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Thanks as always to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday! 

The Solution to a Stomachache

Posted in Food, Run by

Alright, I’m finally being honest with you.

For pretty much all of my half marathon training, I’ve been doing 3 out of my 4 scheduled runs per week.

I’m still doing the long runs – so doesn’t 3 out of 4 runs count?

But really, it’s hard to have time to squeeze in a run, and it’s currently really effing cold outside.

Since this past week was the long run break week (week 6) I figured it was a good chance to come clean and catch up.

That’s why I reallllly wanted to be able to cross that extra run off my list on Friday.

Unfortunately, my stomach started hurting at work in the afternoon and wouldn’t let up. I must have eaten something bad because I sure was strugglin’. I debated whether or not I should stick with my plan to go to the gym.

I did end up going – but I shouldn’t have.

It certainly wasn’t a very fun run. I was nauseous and my stomach kept cramping and I basically sprinted to the bathroom when the distance hit 3.00.

Once I got to Tuna’s, my stomach hurt so much I couldn’t even stretch or foam roll.

And you know something’s wrong if I couldn’t foam roll.

It was getting late, and Tunes and I totally needed to get something
for dinner.

He asked if I was still in the mood to order sushi – but that was the last thing I wanted with my stomachache.

I promptly fell asleep on the couch and didn’t wake up until Tuna came back with food.

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Cheese fries and pizza from Ledo Pizza.

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30 minutes later, with every bit of food devoured and starting to digest – my stomach felt better.

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Not all the way better, but I wasn’t smushed into the fetal position anymore either.

I guess sometimes your stomach just needs some cheese fries.

What do you do when you have a stomachache? Any particular foods that help you?